Grace
by indie
Summary: There but for the grace of God go I. AU set after the post-ROTJ EU novel, Truce at Bakura. Takes place several weeks after ROTJ. Han, Luke and Leia are pulled into an alternate universe where Anakin Skywalker never fell.
1. Chapter 1

**TITLE: Grace**  
**AUTHOR:** indie  
**SPOILERS: **PT, OT  
**DISCLAIMER:** Characters and universe respectfully borrowed from George Lucas. No profit is gained from this work.  
**CHARACTERS:** Han, Leia, Luke, Anakin, Padme, Obi-Wan, Shmi, Qui-Gon, OCs  
**TIMELINE:** Post ROTJ – set after EU novel Truce at Bakura  
**SUMMARY:** Luke, Leia and Han from the OT are pulled into a parallel universe where the events of the PT did not play out the same way

* * *

**_There but for the grace of God go I_**

"You okay?" 

Han's expression was soft and concerned and it should have made Leia feel better, but it didn't. His hand was gently clasped around her upper arm but she ignored it. Turning her head, her eyes locked across the small room with Luke's and she looked away. She and Luke always shared a connection. She wasn't in the mood to be connected to anyone. 

"We need to stop worrying about my mental health and start worrying about how we're going to get home," she said pointedly.

Han sighed in a way she knew should make her heart ache, but instead irritated her more. He was disappointed. He thought she was working too hard, expecting too much of herself and she knew he wished she could relax for five seconds. She wouldn't. They both knew that.

Across the room, Luke didn't do anything. He sat there on the hard stone floor, dressed all in black and looking for all the galaxy like the stifling heat didn't bother him. Maybe it didn't. After all, he grew up here. But he had been away for years. Surely his body was more acclimated to the cold of deep space than the sweltering heat of this forsaken planet on the Outer Rim.

Or maybe Tatooine – the _real_ Tatooine, in the _real_ universe, _their_ universe – wasn't this hot. Though Leia doubted it.

"You can't come up with any explanation for this?" she demanded, staring at Luke. She usually was a _much_ better diplomat than this, but she couldn't muster the strength to bring all her emotions in check. Not even for Luke.

His calm, on the other hand, was unflappable. "It's the – "

"Don't say it!" She held up her hand, warding off his words. "I don't want to hear one more thing about the Force."

He shrugged. "That doesn't make it any less true."

Her glare could have frozen ice, even in Tatooine's oppressive heat.

The trio glanced up as the young woman once again entered the small room. "I've arranged transport," she said. "We'll have to wait for nightfall. It's not safe during the day."

"Thank you," Luke replied warmly.

The young woman regarded him warily, inclining her head in acknowledgement. She obviously wasn't thrilled with this turn of events. Leia thought in that small fact lay some great eternal truth. 

* * *

The woman's hair was shorn nearly to the skull. Leia figured with all the sand and wind on this planet it was the only prudent choice to be made. By the readout lights on the dash, Leia watched the woman's hands as she piloted the speeder over harsh terrain. Her nails were clipped ruthlessly short, her hands callus roughened and marred by scars. 

Leia fixated on those points because in every other respect, she and this woman were mirror images of one another.

Leia, Luke and Han were returning from Bakura when they stumbled upon … _something_. Luke offered a few unsatisfactory explanations about the Force and the Multi-verse, but Leia knew he was winging it. He may have had the vaguest ideas such things could exist, but it was definitely outside his area of expertise.

They spun out of control, their sensors fried, flying blind. Only Han's considerable skills as a pilot allowed them to set down in one piece. The same couldn't be said for the Falcon. It needed extensive repairs. How those repairs were going to be made, no one knew. Currently the Falcon was holed up in Mos Espa, guarded by Chewie, Artoo and Threepio.

Luke knew immediately the gist – if not the specifics – of what happened to them and the Falcon. Leia tried to deny it. But when confronted with her doppelganger, she had no choice but to believe. 

They were no longer in their own dimension.

They wandered into the little junk shop searching for parts, but the Toydarian proprietor immediately ushered them out of sight and into the cramped back room. Addressing both Luke and Leia by name was enough to encourage them to humor him. It was several hours before the other alt-Leia appeared to inspect them. Neither the Toydarian, Watto, nor the alt-Leia offered much information. They didn't have to. It was obvious enough from their manner that this universe's Leia needed to keep a low profile. It was also very obvious the appearance of the three inter-dimensional interlopers was very unwelcome.

In the backseat of the speeder, Leia leaned closer to Luke. His eyes were fixated on the terrain, straining to see in the near dark. "You know where we are?" she asked.

He nodded slowly. They traveled for hours, first on a small transport to Mos Eisley and then by landspeeder. They skirted two large settlements, but at the moment, they seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. "I believe we're headed to the Lars homestead," he said quietly. "Anchorhead was the last settlement we passed."

Leia sat back in her seat, taking a deep breath. A churning mass of emotions had lived in her heart for weeks. This side trip only exacerbated her sense of groundlessness, of loss and confusion. 

Weeks earlier, Leia took Luke's revelation in stride. They were siblings. She relished her connection to her brother. After so much loss, having a sibling, a _twin_, grounded her in a way nothing else could have. But that connection came at a very great cost. It was devastating to learn Vader was her biological father. Thankfully her duties on Endor and to the New Republic made it easy to push it from her mind. 

Bakura was ... _harder_. She thought she was handling everything so well, but the glimpse of a swirling cape was enough to set her nerves on edge. The appearance of Vader's – Skywalker's, whoever he was - ghost asking for forgiveness was far more than she could bear. She shut it out, all of it, replacing her fear and grief with anger and aggression. She didn't want to be a monster's daughter. She couldn't. It was an affront to everything her parents – her _real_ parents –fought and died for. Bail Organa was her father, not Darth Vader.

Leia felt unsure of herself in a way heretofore unknown. She didn't know who she was. She didn't know _what_ she was. It was a great comfort, however, to know Luke was struggling with many of the same questions.

Leia forced herself to quiet, to reach out to Luke not physically, but through the Force. It wasn't easy. Despite Luke's assertions that she would one day be a Jedi like him, she was very doubtful. 

The moon provided enough light that she could watch the corners of Luke's mouth curl up in a small smile. He reached out his hand and placed it over hers, squeezing gently. Leia maintained the connection through the Force. It was a heady sensation, like the universe itself was kaleidoscoping before her. 

As much as Leia didn't wish to discover what this brave new world held for her, she knew she needed to be here for Luke. She lost an entire planet when Tarkin ordered Alderaan's destruction. But she wasn't the only one to pay great dues. Luke was far from unscathed by the Empire. Owen and Beru Lars were the only parents Luke knew and they too were viciously murdered by the Empire. 

Given alt-Leia's current heading, it was entirely possible she was taking them to the Lars family homestead. It was possible they would meet an Owen and Beru who still lived, who had yet to be discovered and murdered by Vader. Leia wasn't sure if the tight sensation in the pit of her stomach belonged to her or Luke. 

* * *

The speeder slowed and eventually came to a stop near an unassuming domed entrance that rose from the barren landscape. Leia knew the thick stone shelter housed a stairway leading to a larger, underground complex. Tatooine's surface was far too harsh, especially this far from any sizeable settlement, to allow surface buildings. Any such structures would be scoured out of existence by the season's first sandstorm. 

"Wait here," alt-Leia instructed them in her terse, biting fashion. All of Han and Luke's attempts to engage her in conversation during their trek were a spectacular failure. 

Leia accepted Han's arm as support as she hopped from the speeder. 

They all watched as alt-Leia piloted the speeder from sight, no doubt to be parked in the safety of an underground garage. There were several farm droids milling around. Light shone from the doorway, providing dim illumination. Strobe lights blinked in the distance, marking the farm's perimeter. 

"Tuskens must be a problem, eh kid?" Han asked, nodding toward the flashing lights.

Luke shrugged. "The perimeter is designed to keep them out," he agreed. "Any moisture farmer who wanted to stay alive more than a fortnight would need one." Luke took a deep breath and squinted into the dark horizon. He shook his head. "But I don't think they're a problem around here."

Luke's manner immediately put Leia on edge. "Something bad?" she asked.

His face pinched into a bit of a grimace and he shook his head. "Not bad," he said. "At least not for us." He seemed to be searching for words. "But strong. Very strong."

Han stepped closer. "You worried?" he asked under his breath.

Luke shook his head again, looking around, scanning the immediate area. "I don't think they want us here," he said. "But it's not necessarily hostile."

"Not _necessarily_ hostile?" Han parroted. "What does that mean? Because I'm_not necessarily_ keeping one hand on the trigger."

"Weapons won't be necessary."

Han, Leia and Luke immediately turned to look at the speaker, all of them shocked her approach escaped their notice. She was standing less than five meters away, just inside the dome's lone doorway, her feet planted on the first step. There was enough illumination from below that they could easily make out her features. She was an old woman, her kind face heavily lined with wrinkles. Her white hair was pulled back from her face. 

She looked at Han first, her eyes traveled to the blaster in his hand. Her gentle, yet disapproving expression was more than sufficient reprimand for him to quickly holster it. Her eyes then found Leia. The trio could easily hear the sharp intake of breath. The woman's gaze immediately fixated on Luke. They watched the tears well in her eyes, ignorant as to their cause. 

"I see Watto didn't exaggerate," she finally said. Her voice was soft and melodic with a hint of an accent Leia could not place.

No one was certain how long they stood looking at one another, nor of how long it might have continued had they not been interrupted. Shadows played against the whitewashed wall behind the woman's head before the newcomer moved into sight.

"Nana Shmi," the woman said, placing her hand on the older woman's arm and searching her face before she turned toward Han, Leia and Luke. Leia estimated the younger woman was between fifty and sixty standard years in age. Her hair was dark and short. She was thin without seeming frail. Her face seemed unaccustomed to the scowl that pinched her brow, as if her heart was usually much lighter. But there was no light to be found at this moment. Unlike Nana Shmi's welcoming smile, there was nothing fond in her gaze. "You're not supposed to be up here," she said, trying to draw Nana Shmi down the stairs.

Leia kept her eyes on the two women, but she turned her face in Luke's direction and reached out to him through the Force. The sense of grief she felt from him was so sharp she grasped his arm, needing to offer physical comfort. They were far enough from the light sources she couldn't easily make out his features, but she could see a single tear tracing down his cheek.

"It's okay, Beru," Nana Shmi said, patting Beru's hand.

Beru was obviously unconvinced. The glare she gave Han was downright warm in comparison to the violent mixture of emotions – primarily suspicion and anger – pouring off her as she looked at Luke and Leia. Her resolve strengthened, she said, "They'll be angry, Nana Shmi."

Nana Shmi stopped her short, though not unkindly. "The boys are worried," Nana Shmi said softly. "They're such good boys. They only want to keep us safe."

Nana Shmi took a step. For a moment they wondered if Beru would try to physically restrain her, but in the end Beru did nothing. Nana Shmi ventured ever closer and Leia could see she was even older than Leia initially thought - though living on Tatooine for any length of time undoubtedly prematurely aged one. 

Despite the open hostility displayed by Beru, Leia felt nothing but welcoming warmth from Nana Shmi. Leia knew she had never before seen this woman, but there was an undeniable sense of recognition and familiarity. Nana Shmi held out her hands and Leia immediately took them, as shocked by how warm they felt as she was by the coldness of her own hands. Nana Shmi smiled at Leia.

"We don't have anything to fear from these visitors," Nana Shmi assured Beru.

Nana Shmi turned to Luke and her smile was blinding even as tears streamed down her face. She released Leia's grasp and gently placed one weathered hand against Luke's face. Luke allowed it, watching her with wide, curious eyes.

There was such wonder and grief in her expression which echoed in her presence in the Force. "My dear boy," she whispered.

"That's not Luke."

Leia's attention snapped to the man. He was standing only a few feet away, halfway between the dome and where they stood. Beru was nowhere to be seen. With the light from the doorway behind him, it was nearly impossible to discern any of his features. Again, Leia was both shocked and appalled she hadn't noticed a stranger's approach. She glanced at Han and knew while she and Luke had were distracted by Nana Shmi, Han kept his attention firmly fixated on the man. 

Leia looked back to Nana Shmi. Her smile was gone, but she still used one hand to grasp Leia and the other, Luke. She and Luke continued to study one another.

"Mom."

Nana Shmi sighed. Her head bowed as she released Luke and Leia. "I know, Ani," she said softly. "I know this isn't your boy." 

* * *

End Section 


	2. Chapter 2

**TITLE: Grace  
AUTHOR: indie  
Chapter 2**

* * *

Leia didn't move, didn't breathe. It took her several long moments to process the words Nana Shmi spoke. Ani. Nana Shmi's son, Ani. Ani who had a boy named Luke.

Leia's mind wrapped around it and then rejected it. Unconsciously, she shook her head and took a step backward. She would have bolted had Luke not reached out, grabbing her forearm. Leia didn't know if Han sensed danger himself or if he reacted to her, but he immediately stepped between Ani and Leia.

Behind Ani, the other Leia bounded up the stairs, followed more slowly by an older man with a hostile expression. An adolescent boy was the last. Both the boy and the other Leia clearly held lightsabers.

Han reached for his blaster, but Luke laid his free hand on his friend's arm, urging him to stop before he could point it at anyone. Luke stood there, one hand on Leia, the other on Han, fearing the situation would erupt violently.

Nana Shmi's gaze moved between Ani and Luke, confusion written on her features.

"Nana Shmi," the older man said, "we asked everyone to stay below."

Tears glittered again in Nana Shmi's eyes. "I know Owen," she said, her voice a mere whisper, "but I had to see them. I had to see _him._"

"It's not him," the other Leia spat, moving to ignite her lightsaber as she strode toward the trio. "It's a trick. A trap. Another of the Emperor's sick jokes."

"_Deeja_," Ani said, glancing over his shoulder at the quickly approaching Leia. He extended the palm of his hand toward her and she stopped, lowering her lightsaber. 

Ani stared at the trio for several long moments and then sighed deeply. His broad shoulders slumped and he dragged a hand through his short hair. "Deeja, take your grandmother inside."

The other Leia paced back and forth behind Ani several times before deciding to do as requested. "Come on, Nana," she said quietly. She gently took her grandmother's elbow, supporting her as they walked back to the dome, but her suspicious gaze never left Luke, Leia and Han.

"What are we-"

"You too," Anakin said to the adolescent boy, stopping him short.

"But, Dad."

"Now." The word was not cruel, but it certainly left no room for argument.

Sullenly, the boy made his way to the dome and disappeared down the stairway.

Owen Lars shifted his weight back and forth, his attention firmly riveted on Han, Luke and Leia. "Anakin, maybe it would be best if Deeja came back up here," he said pointedly. It was clear from his tone it was more of an order than a suggestion. Anakin, however, made no move to reply, or even acknowledge that Owen had spoken. It was obvious the two men had come to an uneasy arrangement over the years. 

"Leia needs to be with her mother," Anakin said seriously, not so much in reply to Owen, but to the trio before him. He sighed again and finally glanced over his shoulder at Owen. "We're fine," he said. "They pose no threat."

Owen snorted in disbelief and looked at the blaster Han still held.

With a wave of his hand, Anakin used the Force to summon Han's blaster. Leia's insides roiled, clearly remembering when Vader had done the same thing in Cloud City.

Anakin stared at her a moment, sensing Leia's emotions through the Force. He seemed puzzled, but unwilling to investigate. He held the blaster up for Owen to see. "Satisfied?" he asked.

Owen grunted in reply.

"Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon will be here soon," Anakin said. 

* * *

The small courtyard was a flurry of voices and activity. Leia took the opportunity to lean closer to Luke. "I'm not up on my Huttese," she said. "What does _deeja_ mean?"

Luke met her gaze and said, "Beloved daughter."

Leia had no response to that. She sat back and let her gaze travel the space. Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn arrived minutes after Anakin removed Han's blaster. Shortly after that, they were all herded down the stairs and to the homestead's sunken courtyard. 

The courtyard was well illuminated and Leia got her first glimpse of Anakin Skywalker as he existed in this universe. When the other Leia – Deeja, as she was called by her family – met them, she knew things were different. But somehow Leia assumed in this universe, rather than being separated, both she and Luke were left in the care of Owen and Beru Lars.

Obviously not.

In this universe, there was no Darth Vader, only Anakin Skywalker. Anakin was as much a father to his children as Bail Organa was to Leia. Leia pushed the thoughts away. Now was not the time for such feelings. 

On Bakura, Leia saw a Force ghost of her biological father, but it was a far different experience seeing him in the flesh. Anakin was tall, though not as tall as Vader. No doubt Vader's proportions were exaggerated by his prostheses to make him all the more menacing. Anakin's hair was a dark blonde-brown, graying slightly at the temples. His irises were the same vibrant blue as Luke's, though his lashes were much darker. His lips were full and his chin was cleft like Luke's. Anakin's voice was surprisingly quiet. His tone undeniably commanded authority, but there was no hint of Vader's biting enunciation or mechanical bass. His movements were fluid and graceful. For the first time, Leia truly wondered at how significantly Vader's physical limitations shaped his very existence. She also could not believe how incredibly young Anakin was – in his mid forties, decades younger than Bail Organa. It was nearly impossible to fathom that Darth Vader and this universe's Anakin Skywalker were essentially the same person.

However, in this universe Anakin Skywalker was not the only one who was changed. Obi-Wan Kenobi stood close to his fellow Jedi, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as his gaze traveled over the trio. Though clearly older than Anakin, Obi-Wan looked far younger than the aged general Leia glimpsed aboard the first Death Star. 

The other Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, however, was positively ancient for a human. Leia was not familiar with his name. The ignorance was not unexpected. Dead Jedi Masters were not openly discussed in the Empire or the Organa household. 

Anakin, Obi-Wan and Owen were engaged in an intense conversation. The adolescent boy, Anakin's son – Leia's brother, though her mind violently shied from that thought – hung on every word. As the three men debated, Qui-Gon stepped away from the group and approached Han, Luke and Leia.

His wizened gaze traveled over each of them in turn. "I believe it is safe to assume you do not know another version of me," he said kindly.

Luke smiled. "No, sir."

"_Sir_," Qui-Gon said with a smile. "I don't remember every being addressed so respectfully by …" His voice trailed off and he smiled sadly. "It's nice to meet you."

"Do you know why we're here?" Leia asked bluntly.

Qui-Gon again smiled in amusement. "I was hoping you might be able to enlighten me, young one."

Leia bristled slightly at the endearment, but shook her head.

Qui-Gon sighed. "Shame," he said. "But you can't fault me for trying." He glanced over his shoulder. "My former Padawans are so sensible, they wouldn't think to simply ask you if you knew why you are here. I thought perhaps we could save ourselves some time."

Obviously having heard what Qui-Gon said, Obi-Wan gave his former master a slightly peevish look before once again turning his attention to the conversation with Anakin and Owen.

"Padawans," Luke said with wonder. "You trained both Be- … Obi-Wan and Anakin?"

Qui-Gon smiled sadly. "I did," he confirmed. "I take it from your reaction that it was not so in your world."

Luke shook his head. "My father was apprenticed to Obi-Wan Kenobi. And I'm not familiar with your name at all."

Qui-Gon studied Luke intently. "That is a useful bit of information," he said. "It allows us to narrow down where our timelines diverged. I knew Anakin for a very short time before he became my Padawan. If your Anakin in your world became a Jedi, then obviously I found him, yet apparently I died before he became my apprentice."

Luke was unable to prevent the sense of melancholy that speaking of Anakin Skywalker's time as a Jedi always wrought. The sense of wonder and history was so bright and visceral, but such memories and wonderings were always tainted by the harsh reality of Vader's legacy.

"_Vader,_" Qui-Gon said softly, looking first at Luke and then over his shoulder at Anakin. He pursed his lips together, looking at Luke with pity. "My apologies," he said. "Anakin falling to the dark side was always one of the Council's greatest fears. I can only imagine how much heartbreak it must have brought you both."

Leia looked away with a grimace. She didn't feel like dissecting her feelings toward Vader for this ancient Jedi Master.

"Deeja," Qui-Gon began.

"Leia," Leia corrected firmly. "Leia Organa."

His brow furrowed. "Organa?" He looked at Han in confusion. "By marriage?"

"It's my given name," Leia explained. "Bail Organa was my father."

"Bail Organa."

Everyone's attention snapped to the woman standing in the archway between the courtyard and the homestead's dining hall. Her hair was long and dark, the same color as Leia's. She was slightly built, with the wan appearance of someone suffering a long illness. But even older and unwell, the physical resemblance between the woman and Leia was unmistakable. They had the same air of authority, the same graceful composure. And they were both very beautiful.

Leia immediately rose to her feet, followed quickly by Luke. He grabbed her hand and Leia wasn't certain if it was her or Luke or both of them, but there was a single thought. 

_Mother_.

"Bail Organa," the woman said again, cocking her head to the side as she looked at Leia. "He raised you? As his own?"

Unable to speak, Leia merely nodded. At her side, Luke seemed rooted to the ground.

The woman ventured closer, followed closely by Deeja. Anakin immediately crossed the courtyard to stand at her side. "Padmé," he said quietly, "you should be inside."

She placed a gentle hand on his arm and looked up at him with unmistakable affection. "Anakin, I'm okay. I'll be fine."

Anakin looked from Padmé to the trio of newcomers and then back to Padmé. "Be careful," he stressed.

Slowly, Padmé crossed the courtyard to stand in front of the visitors, her gaze lingering first on Leia and then Luke. She looked at him intently. "And you?" she asked softly. "Did Bail raise you?"

He shook his head. "No, ma'am," he said, his voice scratchy. He coughed to clear his throat. "No. I was raised by Owen and Beru here on Tatooine. At this farmstead."

Padmé's expression crumpled and her eyes were shiny with unshed tears. Wordlessly, Deeja reached out for her mother's hand and Padmé grasped it gladly, smiling fondly at her daughter. "It seems our family is doomed to be torn asunder in every reality," she said sadly. 

* * *

"This is crazy," Leia hissed. "How can they think I can possibly sleep? Especially in the same room as … _her_. I don't even know what to call her – "

"Her name is Deeja."

Leia glared at Han. "You know what I mean," she snapped. "She loathes me. All of us actually. I can't sleep in here with her."

Han stood near the doorway to the tiny room, one hand braced against the whitewashed wall, the other hand massaging the back of his neck. "It's not like we got a lot of options, sweetheart," he said wryly. "In case you didn't notice, this isn't exactly the Imperial Palace. It looks like they were at capacity before we showed up. At least you've got a bed. Luke and I have to bunk with the kid –" Han gestured with his hand, searching for the name.

"Kij," Leia supplied.

"Yeah," Han said, "Kij, the kid. His room is half this size and Luke and I are going to squeeze in with him. Luke said in our world, they used that room to cure bantha hide. From the smell, I think they may still use it for that here."

Leia couldn't help but smile as she looked up at Han.

He returned the gesture and leaned closer. Reaching out, his fingers toyed with the edge of her collar. "I know this is hard, Princess," he said softly. 

Leia sighed, leaning into him. He wrapped his arms around her, cradling her close.

"I don't know what to feel," she said softly. "I think we died in the crash. And now we're in hell."

"Hey," he said, offended. "It's not _that_ bad. You've still got me." His smile was blinding.

She punched him playfully in the chest. 

In the hallway, someone cleared their throat. Han and Leia pulled away from each other, turning to look at Anakin. Han and Leia both had the distinct impression the patriarch of the Skywalker family was not impressed with what he saw. Leia immediately took another step back from Han, then caught herself and stepped closer again. Anakin could disapprove all he wanted. He wasn't her father. Now, she just had to convince herself of that fact. 

* * *

End Section


End file.
